Background and purpose: Previously, 30 untreated hypertensive patients were investigated by transcranial Doppler (TCD) monitoring during physical exercise, and changes of hemodynamic parameters were compared with those of age matched healthy subjects. After 3-year antihypertensive (AHT) treatment, these hypertensives were investigated again. The aim of this study was to compare the cerebral hemodynamic changes in the regularly treated and noncompliant (untreated) hypertensives during ergometer cycling.
Methods: Nineteen of 30 previously untreated hypertensive patients could be investigated again using the same method as before. Eleven were regularly treated (treated hypertensive [T-HT] group), and 8 did not take their AHT medications due to lack of compliance (noncompliant hypertensive [NC-HT] group). Blood pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2 (etCO2; Capnogard capnograph), and bilateral middle cerebral artery mean blood flow velocity (MV) were continuously monitored during ergometer cycling according to the World Health Organization protocol. Values of 2-minute loading were analyzed.
Results: Median loading time did not differ significantly between the T-HT and NC-HT groups. After 2 minutes of cycling in treated patients, the ratio of MV and etCO changes (DeltaMV/DeltaetCO2) showed similar values as before therapy (P = .38), whereas in noncompliant patients, a further worsening of the ratio of DeltaMV/DeltaetCO2 could be observed (P = .04).
Conclusion: The decrease of arteriolar vasodilation (ie, the ratio of DeltaMV/DeltaetCO2) could be demonstrated in the NC-HT group after 3 years. TCD combined with ergometer cycling is a useful method for evaluation of cerebral hemodynamic changes after AHT therapy.